Challenge Log- A Deadly Decision
by Nightlings of NightClan
Summary: In this challenge, our members were told to write about a cat who must choose who to save, their leader or their mate. Let's find out what our authors decided should happen when they are given such a prompt, shall we?
1. Flygon

I stared at the battle, blood dripping down the side of my flank from several scratch. The blood soaked ground was full of cats clawing and bitting for their clan. My gaze swept the field, searching for a cat to help. MoonClan was in a furious battle with SmokeClan, a vicious group of cats that hated the Warrior Code, and vowed to destroy it.

My field of vision landed on Moonstar, our leader. I leapt down to help her, as I was the only warrior who knew of her secret. _"I can not let our leader loose her last life." I told myself._ I was about to swipe my unsheathe paws down the pelt of Moonstar's attacker, Drake, when I saw my mate, Morningsun, being pinned down by a cat twice her size. "No!" I hissed. I turned around, and around, my head spinning. _"Who do I save?!" I continued asking myself, "I wish I had a sign!"_

"Save the leader!" I decided, "She'll understand!" I then lunged at the SmokeClan cat, hauling him off Moonstar. "You're not allowed to hurt my leader!" I howled at him, and he turned around. Moonstar nodded towards me. Tears were flooding my vision as I turned to see my mate. As I anticipated, she lied on the ground, her breaths coming out in shallow gasps. "Morningsun, I'm sorry!" I gasped, my tears dripping and falling on her unmoving body.

"It's- it's okay. I understand." Morningsun whispered to me, "MoonClan needs you Frostpine." "But, I need you!" I wimped. I barley noticed the battle going around me, it was like time was still, just for us. That StarClan understood. "It's okay, I'll always be watching." Morningsun said as her final words before joining the ranks of StarClan.

I let the small drops of water splash around me, and I didn't hear the echo of "retreat" around me, and the set of paws steps approaching me. "Frostpine, you have done a noble thing today." Moonstar whispered.

I whipped around, taking my gaze off of my dead mate, and fixed it on the cat I saved. _"The cat Morningsun gave her life for."_ All I could do was stare up at Moonstar, into her grass green eyes. "My deputy, Ryesplash, has fallen in this battle." Moonstar announced. "And I already know who will be my deputy." Moonstar said, hinting that I would be the deputy.

I barley heard him, my eyes were focus on a pale outline of cats around the clearing. I saw one, of Morningsun. I knew the cats around the clearing, were StarClan cats. I didn't notice Moonstar pull up Ryesplash's body into the blood soaked clearing. I focused my gaze as soon as Moonstar started speaking.

"I, Moonstar, leader of MoonClan, say this before the body of Ryesplash, so that he may hear and approve my choice. Frostpine is the new deputy of MoonClan!" Moonstar announced. I was swept up in glee, just for a moment. The StarClan cats all gathered around me, and Morningsun came up to me, "Avenge my death for me." she whispered before the StarClan cats faded away.


	2. Wind

Ravenleap rolled under Beechpaw and kicked him away with his hind legs. "Take that, you fish eater!" he snarled as the brown apprentice pelted away. He looked around for more enemies; there! His deputy, Sunnypelt, was fighting the deputy of RiverClan, Aspentail. And she was fighting a losing battle, so Ravenleap raced over to her and raked his claws down Aspentail's face.

"Ravenleap!" Aspentail growled, rolling over and crushing Sunnypelt, who had been on his back.

"Yes, Aspentail," he mewed coldly. "We meet again." Aspentail and Ravenleap's mate, Dawnsky, had been the best of friends before Aspentail joined RiverClan. Now that Ravenleap and Dawnsky were together, Aspentail had vowed to kill both of them. "Surrender, or you'll die," Ravenleap warned Aspentail, as Sunnypelt wriggled out from under him and stood, baring her teeth at the tom.

"Very well," Aspentail hissed. "But I will have my revenge." He bounded away from the two, and Ravenleap had just jumped at an unfamiliar black tom, when he heard a yowl that tore his heart in two.

"Ravenleap!" He recognized the voice immediately; it was Dawnsky, his loving mate. And then he heard another cry, this time a deep one, from his leader, Whitestar, who was on his last life. _Oh, no,_ he thought, and a nasty little voice in his head responded: _Oh, yes. Dawnsky, who is carrying your kits, or Whitestar, who holds together your Clan with a firm paw. Choose, Ravenleap, choose. Let Dawnsky be killed; or let Whitestar be killed. It is a deadly decision Ravenleap, but choose..._

Ignoring the voice, Ravenleap looked towards where Dawnsky was. Aspentail was on top of her, clawing her furiously, and her face was contorted in pain. Leafsong held Whitestar down, her claws at his throat. She seemed to be taunting him, which was a stupid idea.

Ravenleap gave one last, longing glance at Dawnsky. Then he turned in the other direction and leaped towards Whitestar.


	3. Tide

A loud scream howled across our border. An army of Shadowclan cats raced into our territory. The terrorist charged to our camps. Taking out anything in their path.

We assembled all the cats we could. "I hope this is enough." I though. Only three fourths of our clan is able to battle. "Being deputy is a hard job." I thought. We tried to secure the entrance, we tried to prepare to intersect, but failed.

The Shadowclan cats broke in. Howls and shrieking echoed through out the clan. The smell of blood, the pain of war and worst of, a high chance of loved ones or leaders dying.

I heard my name being called, pleading for my help. I turned to see my mate, Foxpelt cornered by two massive Shadowclan cats. "Foxpelt, hold on. I'm coming." I yelled. "Mooneyes, help me." He begged.

I was about to go help him, but someone else called my name. "Mooneyes, help." I turned to see our leader. I just remembered he is on his last life. "Who should I save. Smokestar, or Foxpelt." I thought.

Their screams of help made me flinch. "I'll have the weight of letting our leader die, or lose all my happiness and let my mate die." I mumbled. Then I thought, "I'm deputy. If Smokestar dies, I'm the leader."

I look at them. "I'm sorry Smokestar, I'm going to save Foxpelt. This was a hard choice. I promise to run the clan well. I'm sorry." I said. "No, please, Mooneyes, please."

Foxpelt had a glimmer of hope in his eyes. I ran over to where he was and tackle the cats. Foxpelt helped to take down the other one. We fought together. He looked happy for once.

We finished them off. "Thanks." He said. Our victory was interrupted by a loud scream. "Smokestar!" Foxpelt screamed. "I had the choice to save you or him. I choose you." I confessed. Foxpelt looked at me with a stare. "We need to finish this battle now though, we can talk about this later." I said. "Okay." He replied.

Shadowclan was retreating. They fled for their lives. "Finally." I sighed. I turned to see Foxpelt. "Thank you. I know you loved me and I'm happy you do, but you choose me over Smokestar, why?" Foxpelt asked. "I love you." I replied. "That's all, it's not to be leader or anything?" Foxpelt asked. "Of course not." I slightly lied. "Okay." He finally relaxed. "We need to straighten the clan out." I said.

"Cats who are strong enough to catch their own prey, meet under high rock for a clan meeting. Smokestar died in today's battle. His life taken by a Shadowclan cat. I'm grieving for our lost of one of the most brilliant leaders. Tomorrow, I will go to Moonpool to get my nine lives but for today, we will grieve and repair the clan. Thank you for all the help." I finished.

Tears flooded my eyes. Regret filled my soul. "I don't deserve to be leader." I muttered.


	4. Orange

" _RiverClan! Attack!"_

The battle was so sudden. Ashfeather ducked as a watery cat launched over her, bowling over a ShadowClan warrior. The gray tabby warrior unsheathed her claws, whipping around to attack the RiverClan cat, but another cat attacked her from behind, bringing her down to the ground.

"This will teach ShadowClan not to steal prey," the cat hissed above her, and Ashfeather recognized the voice as Silverfish's, someone she thought was her friend.

"Why would we want _fish_?" Ashfeather spat, struggling to get to her paws. But Silverfish had her claws deep in the gray tabby's shoulders, holding her in place.

Suddenly, a black cat launched at the silver spotted RiverClan cat, knocking her off balance and allowing Ashfeather to jump to her paws. She looked to her savior and was startled to see her new mate, Blackstrike, fending off Silverfish, who was hissing at him. The midnight-colored warrior launched another blow to the RiverClan she-cat, and then she ran off, throwing a scowl at them.

Blackstrike turned back to Ashfeather, his amber eyes dark with worry. "Are you okay?" he asked, stepping forward and sniffing her wounds tentatively.

"I'll be okay," the gray tabby she-cat responded, gently pushing him away. "Come on Blackstrike, this is a battle! We're supposed to get hurt."

The black warrior's whiskers twitched, and he looked as if he was about to reply, but then thought better of it. Blackstrike sighed, flicking his ears and then meowing, "Okay, well, just be careful, okay?"

"I'll be fine," Ashfeather murmured, pressing her nose to his. And with that, the gray tabby turned and jumped into another battle, battering a yellow tabby tom.

Then, a yowl split the air, stopping Ashfeather and the yellow tabby in their tracks. The gray tabby she-cat turned quickly, and spotted her leader, Leafstar, getting double teamed by the RiverClan leader, Volestar, and the deputy, Swiftstream. The yellow tabby warrior smirked, moving to attack Ashfeather, but she was faster. She darted away from the RiverClan cat, sprinting towards her leader, but then there was another screech.

Ashfeather whipped around, and froze. Lying under a large RiverClan warrior whose paw was unsheathed, ready to swipe his throat, was Blackstrike.

The gray tabby moved to protect him, but then remembered Leafstar. She turned her head, worry clouding her green eyes as she saw the white tom disappear under a mound of fur. Ashfeather swivelled her head around, not knowing how to choose.

 _Oh StarClan, please help me!_

Looking around, she saw a RiverClan warrior catch her eye, and they stalked towards her, their claws glinting in the half-light. Ashfeather winced, knowing she had to make her decision fast.

 _Do I want to save Leafstar, the leader of my Clan who has guided us through many tough times and is also on his last life, or my new mate, Blackstrike, who I love with all my heart?_

The gray tabby she-cat frowned, making her decision. Wishing desperately that she could save both, Ashfeather winced, turning away from her mate and heading towards Leafstar, claws unsheathed. She knocked away Swiftstream, who meowed in surprise, and gave her a good slash to her face.

The black and white RiverClan deputy hissed, her fur bristling as she lashed a paw forward. Ashfeather dodged expertly, ducking her head and then giving Swiftstream a bite on the shoulder. The other she-cat glared at her with cold blue eyes before turning around, racing into another battle.

Ashfeather turned back to her leader, and was relieved to see Leafstar fending off Volestar as great as he could, battering his chest with unsheathed claws. The brown tabby RiverClan leader gasped, and then glared, biting Leafstar's ear. The white tom yowled in pain, closing his green eyes.

Ashfeather growled, moving swiftly to bite Volestar's throat. But before she could get a good grip, the brown tabby threw her off, making her land with a _thump!_ on the ground. But he did let go of Leafstar, which let the white leader be able to attack Volestar once again.

After a while of fighting, with Ashfeather helping her leader faithfully, Volestar finally stepped off. He raised his head and yowled, "RiverClan! Retreat!" Then he turned around and ran off back to their territory.

The ShadowClan cats let out caterwauls of victory, some giving parting wounds to the retreating RiverClan cats. But Ashfeather was looking through the crowd, trying to spot Blackstrike. She hoped he was okay….

Finally, she spotted him. But what she saw made her blood freeze. Lying still, with blood still seeping out of a wound, was Blackstrike. Ashfeather stood still for a moment, before letting out a yowl, rushing towards him. "Blackstrike! Blackstrike!" she wailed.

The other cats stopped cheering, looking at her in a confused way. But their expressions changed to worry when they realized Ashfeather was heading towards the still Blackstrike, and they began to follow slowly, making a circle around them.

"Blackstrike? Please, you told me to stay okay, but you _aren't_!" Ashfeather wailed again, pressing her face into her mate's fur. It still had a flash of warmth, but it was growing colder every second. She knew that it was all over.

Blackstrike was dead.

Ashfeather pressed her face closer, letting out a choked sob. _Oh, Blackstrike… Blackstrike, I'm so sorry!_


	5. Doge

I leaped and slashed at the enemy warriors, not stopping for breathes because that'd allow them time to think how to attack me.

Leap, slash, leap, slash.

The warrior I'm attacking has scratches all over him. I let him go, and he runs, paws tapping the ground as he runs.

Pad, tap, pad, tap.

I turn around to see if anyone else need help. Reedstar, my brother, is being cornered by three of the enemies. He is in a weak condition, and on his last life. He's breathing heavily, and his scratches are bleeding.

Breathe, Bleed, Breath, Bleed.

I start to run over to help him, but I hear a wailing, I turn to see my mate bleeding, and an enemy warrior about to deliver the final blow. Her head turns to me. I turn to see Reedstar do the same the same, I cannot read their expressions.

Save them, you can't. Save them, you can't.

I need to help them both! But I can only help one. The other warriors are battling as hard as they can against so many warriors, they aren't paying attention to them.

Scratch, bite. Scratch, bite.

But I think I know what to do. But my decision will kill me and also the other cat.

I send a regretful look towards my mate, and run as fast as I can to Reedstar. I tackle one of the warriors, biting them.

Tackle, bite. Tackle, bite.

They all try to attack me as Reedstar sends me a look of thanks before limping away to the medicine cat's den. I hold off the enemy warriors long enough for him to get away. I'm attacking as hard as I possibly can. I feel a sharp pain on my neck, then darkness.

Pain, darkness. Pain, darkness.

I'm sorry that I couldn't save you. The thought of leaving you alone ever again is like claws to my heart. It hurts.

Tear, claw. Tear, claw.

Forgive me. I'll always love you…

Forgive, love. Forgive, love.


	6. Holly

I flattened my ears at my attacker, hissing and slashing my claws down the cats face. I felt the blood wash onto my white paw, straining it red. The cat yowled in pain and fled, after I bit at it's tail. I turned around to face my next attacker, a brown tabby, his eyes boring into mine with hate. I growled, fastening my claws in the ground before bringing it back up and slashing them down the cats face.

I felt a sudden weight on my back, claws digging into my shoulders. I tried biting my teeth into the cats legs but I couldn't reach. I went limp, deciding to play dead. The cat gave a nip at my ear, before relaxing his grip. I quickly pushed him off and went to bite his leg.

He yowled and slashed at my face, making me release the grip. I could feel sticky blood run down my face, but that didn't stop me from grabbing the cats scruff and shaking him, hearing him screech. Another cat went to nip at my tail, earning a yowl from me, dropping the cat. The cat ran from the scene while I turned to face the attacker. It was the brown tabby and I could feel a growl rising in my throat.

I went to attack but a voice had stopped me.

"Help! Cloudmist, please help me!" my mate's voice rising from the yowls of attacks. It made me hesitate but another voice rushed for help.

"I need...help!" my leader's voice, Breezestar cried. I narrowed my eyes at his voice before my paw slammed into the side of the tabby face, making him release.

I turned to look at the cats who needed help. My ear flicked in annoyance, why couldn't another cat helped. A purr rose from my throat, this is my chance to be leader. Just leave Breezestar to be picked off, he was on his last life and he had horrible injures so he could just bled out. Cats where piling up on him, scratching, biting, beautiful, but my mate, a mouse-brain couldn't aim his attacks right.

I could help my mate, but what did he do for me? He did nothing, but whine and complain. They were both obstacles in my path, they needed to be wiped out. No one would know that I did it, they would think that no one could save them. They were mouse-brains, but strong warriors, what a clan needed. I turned around before attacking another cat. I could hear the cries of my obstacles, crying for someone to help them.


	7. SkyTheLoner

I blink slowly, my amber eyes shifting from one cat to the next as the battle reaged on. Yowls from both pain-from the claws and fangs of an enemy cat ripping flesh-and joy-from watching a crow-food eating rouge flee, rang my in ears. Cats hissed and spat cruse as the rouges attacked the without mercy.

My gleaming silver claws dug into the grainy ground. _They dare attack us!_ I silently yowl in my mind, rage burning deep in my heart. _I'm a loyal BrambleClan warrior! Err... Deputy._ I remind myself.I swiftly and carefully scan the area, taking in the battle that raged around me.

Someting-or someone, to be exact-catches my eyes. A flash of ginger. Then white followed by a patch of pitch black. _Patchheart!_ My heart flutters with joy as I spot the pelt of my beloved mate.

My ears press onto my head. A blur of black darts to my beloved Patchheart. A rouge? A flash of rage lights in me as I leap to my mates aid. Powered by rage and fear alone, I sprint across the blood stained moors, claws out.

I skid around warriors and rouges, who spat at me, one saying: "What even gives you the right to own these parts of the forest, anyway?"

I nearly snarl back my reply. "The fact that this is our home! Is that reason enough?" My voice is laced with venom, deadlier than a snake's.

"Goldenclaw!" A yowl alerts me. My head shoots up, looking for him. I soon identify the ginger tabby pelt of my leader. Blazestar?! I can do nothing but stare as a cat leaps on his back, pinning him to the ground, hopeless, in a heartbeat. A sinking feeling grows in my heart.

 _He on his last life._ I remember, flinching inwardly. _If he dies... I'm next in line, as his deputy._ I look at Patchheart, hoping she'll know I'm sorry. I had never really wanted to be deputy, or leader.

"I'm sorry." I new softly, as I yowl, digging my claws into the cat that dared to lay a claw on my leader. _I'm sorry._

I didn't know what happened next, because the next thing I knew, something wet splashed on my paw. The dull, souless, amber eyes on Blazestar, my leader, the cat who I was to follow without question, was laying on the ground. Dead. I could see my face in his eyes reflection. Blood stained. Hate, fading the horror in my eyes.

On his neck, was a long bloody wound. Made from claws. A wound made by his killer.

My paws, normally white as snow, were now a dark crimson color. The color of blood.

Patchheart, my beloved mate, my friend, lay dead, lifeless on the earth. _What... Happened? I don't remember..._

 _"I was expecting our kits, dear Goldenclaw."_

 _"A few strong... Kits to serve... B-bram-amble...Clan."_

Patchheart... Why... Did y-you battle then? You...

 _"B-blaz...e-s-star said...it would...b-be safe..."_

He was wrong. _Wrong. W-who killed him?_

 ** _"I'll get revenge."_**

 ** _"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"_**

With a slash of my deadly claws, it had been over. My claw ripped through his neck easily, I was unstoppable, splattering thick blood all over my pelt. Rage had tooken over, I couldn't stand it. To never see her perfect fur.

But... Killing my leader? That's not like me.

I don't understand...


	8. Feather

"ShadowClan, attack!"

I jump to my paws, shaking. It was the middle of the night! Who would get out of their nests n the middle of the night to attack their neighbors?

That's right. ShadowClan. Strangely, their rival clan hadn't marked their borders today. Now ThunderClan knew why. They had been resting before they could ambush their camp. My mate, Dapplestorm, is next to me, quivering. She's expecting my kits in a few moons, but it's too early for her to move to the nursery, no matter how much I want her to. Besides, even ShadowClan wouldn't attack kits or nursing queens! Or would they?

"Get to the nursery!" I hiss, shoving Dapplestorm with my muzzle. "You may be able to hunt, but you are in no shape to fight!"

For once, she doesn't argue. I push my way out of the warrior's den to an alarmingly bloody scene. ShadowClan almost all their warriors, by the looks of it, to attack us with, and I won't deny it. Facing so many ShadowClan warriors makes me afraid. Every cat in ThunderClan is raised with the nursery tales about evil ShadowClan cats coming to eat you and kill and torture you, tossing you too the foxes once they've clawed all the strength and wits out of you. And now it seems like the stories are true, with dark shapes writhing around the clearing, eerily glowing eyes reflecting the moonlight. Battle cries ring out every few moments, and the screeches feel my ears. My mind is full of horrid visions, of ShadowClan cats skinning my clan mates, of my whole clan lying dead, on the ground, without a single casualty from our attackers.

One yowl tramples the others. "What is this attack for?" I recognize the voice of my sister, Skystar, leader of the clan. "Why have you attacked our camp?" "ShadowClan needs more territory. Who else to attack but the ThunderClan weaklings?" Another voice responded. I narrowed my eyes, rearing onto my hind paws until I could see the tom who had said that. Thornheart, ShadowClan's fiercest warrior. The deputy, Darkstorm, stood beside Thornheart, but he was not my target. Darkstorm, luckily for him, was not the one who had killed my parents, murdering them in cold blood before my very eyes.

Plunging through the howling, tussling crowd of cats, I drop into a crouch and creep up behind Thornheart, relieved when Darkstorm plunges into battle, locked with another cat. I don't bother to see who that cat is- I'm just happy I don't have to fight both of ShadowClan's strongest warriors at the same time.

When StarClan was handing out gifts, I was given a reckless sense of courage and a big head. Yowling, I leap for Thornheart a moment after he realizes I'm there, meaning he's had the time to turn around and use one big, broad paw to send me flying. My chest stings where he raked his claws across it, and the place where I hit my head on the ground as I landed is already aching, causing black spots in my vision.

Thornheart stalks over. "I was right," he sneered, looming over me. "ThunderClan cats really are weaklings!" I try to struggle, flailing my paws. A few times I managed to snag his fur, but I didn't draw blood. He pins me down, preparing to finish me off and send me to join my parents in StarClan, but a caterwauling bundle of tortoiseshell fur slams into him, knocking Thonrheart off of me. I manage to struggle to my paws, forcing myself to ignore the pain and the spots dancing across my vision and instead focus on what's going on around me.

"Go and help the others," the she-cat hisses. I'm fairly sure that it's Dapplestorm's mother, Spottedfur. Her scent is familiar, and she has the same twinkling amber eyes when she looks at me. "Thanks," I reply, before adding, "I will." Turning around, I scan the battlefield, trying to figure out who needs help most. It turns out to be Foxpaw, one of our newest apprentices. He's been cornered by two ShadowClan warriors, tossed like prey between the two.

Summoning strength from my reckless courage, I pound over to Foxpaw, pouncing on the first cat's back. I realize it's Redfeather who I'm clawing now, with his dark red tabby fur almost black in the dim light. When I look at our shadow, all I can see is a moving bundle of fur, as if Redfeather and I are one. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Foxpaw scrambling away to safety and the second cat, a she-cat named Ivydapple, stalks towards me.

My vision is growing darker, slowly but steadily, and I know I don't have too much longer to fight. I jump off Redfeather and hurtle away, heading for the apprentice den to see if Foxpaw made it back there alive. "Help!" Two screeches cut through the air at the same time. One belongs to Skystar. The other- What have I done? How could I not have seen that it was Dapplestorm who saved me from Thornheart?

I follow the direction of her voice, wishing their was some way I could save both my leader, who was on her last life, and my mate. But Dapplestorm was expecting kits, and if I could only choose one cat, it would have to be her. I reach Dapplestorm too late. Thornheart has already raked his claws over her throat and left. "No!" I wail, collapsing next to Dapplestorm. "Not Dapplestorm! Why didn't I make sure it was really Spottedfur earlier?" He burrowed his muzzle in her sweet-smelling fur, but the scent of death was already creeping over her.

The one cat who I have loved most for seasons is dead, and so are our unborn kits. But my sister can still use saving. I raise my head, staggering to my paws. Now two different sets of claws slice at my heart; the pain of my wounds and the pain of my grief, both sharp and fresh as the chilly night air. Weaving through my fighting clan mates again, I lunge at the ShadowClan deputy as he crouches over Skystar. Darkstorm yowls, startled, and rolls, trying to squish me, but I take a gulp of air and cling on, going limp.

He staggers under the sudden burden of my weight, before twisting around his head and nipping my paw. I let ago, thumping onto the ground. In a flash, Darkstorm is on me. Raking his belly with my hind paws, I kick him off and turn to Skystar, only to see her crawling into the shadows. Her eyes are dull, and she opens her mouth as if she is about to call defeat.

This can't happen. Quick as lightning, I turn around and flash at Darkstorm, raking his throat. It might have broken the code, but it has saved our clan. Ivydapple lets out a cry of shock, and then one of terror. "Darkstorm! Darkstorm's been killed! Retreat!" "ShadowClan, retreat!" echoed Thornheart, dashing over to nuzzle Darkstorm's forehead before turning to glare at me. "That was my father!" "You killed my parents!" I retorted. "It's only fair! Besides. I didn't know!"

Growling, he takes a step towards me before calling to Redfeather and jerking his head towards Darkstorm. "Help me carry my father back to camp." Redfeather nods, hurrying over before glancing, his expressing full of rage and fury, at me. I meet it evenly. My mate is dead, and the tiny lives inside of her. ShadowClan's problems will never mean anything to me, the horrid murderers. At least Skystar is still here. I do not doubt that Sootcloud would make a good leader, but the less change, the less bloodshed, the clan goes through, the better. And even without that, Skystar means more to me then any other cat, besides Dapplestorm and our unborn kits.

"Dapplestorm's dead!" The horrified cry rings out. I spin around. It's Snowwhisker, her brother. "Thornheart murdered her," I added, my voice raw with grief. "I-I saw him!" For a few moments, everything is silent. Then, Skystar slowly pads forwards and drags Dapplestorm's body to the middle of the clearing. "Tonight we shall grieve, "She mewed hoarsely. "Tomorrow she shall be buried. Sootcloud, please organize a hunting patrol of the cats least injured. Everyone else, see Featherwing immediately." Quietly, the procession begins as the shock slowly sinks in. A few cats who were close to Dapplestorm, like me, collapse to the ground in grief, determined not to miss a moment of grieving. The other's just widen their eyes sadly, their expressions hollow, as they trudge to the medicine cat. Great StarClan, what have I ever done to deserve this?

"Sometimes it is just a cat's time. You can do nothing to stop it; destiny is impenetrable. She died as she lived, fighting to protect her loved ones and her clan. Dapplestorm saved you. Would you rather she die of greencough? Unlike when it comes from sickness, her death was quick and clean. She had little time to suffer the pain; Be glad; She will not want to see you like this. Stand strong- be proud- like the cat she fell in love with. Serve your clan always, and look to the stars when you need her help. You are one of the clan's strongest warriors. We cannot afford to lose you. Every cat grieves for some cat or another, but life continues on, and you must get used to it. Dapplestorm loves you; You love her. Accept life as it has come, for it is a gift to at all. Just like in Dapplestorm and your kit's case, lives can be killed before they have even started. You have lived your life with your love. Now it is time to let her go. Peacefully. Do not struggle. She is safe in the stars."

The whispers came smoothly, from a familiar voice, but I don't bother looking up or sniffing the air to check who it is. I will _never_ forget Dapplestorm, even if it means I go blind and mute and deaf. No matter how much I suffer, how much I go through, I will always miss Dapplestorm. Her death has broken my heart, and I will never let it heal. If I stop thinking about her for one moment... I am afraid she shall slip away. Slip away from me and from my clan, without my thoughts keeping her with us. "I'm sorry, Dapplestorm," I whisper. "I should have gotten there sooner."


	9. Blue

The roar of battle echoed around in the crisp night air. Hawkwing ran around, lashing out at any Thunderclan warrior's she encountered. Her maw opened and a loud battle cry escaped her mouth.

"For Shadowclan!" she roared, leaping upon a large black tabby tom from the enemy clan. She tore at his eyes and ran away again, moving on to the next warrior, caterwauling.

"Watch out Hawkwing," a voice howled. Hawkwing spun around to see a Thunderclan warrior about to rip at her back. She hissed and reared up clawing his face. He ran away crying.

"Thanks Redshadow," Hawkwing purred to her mate. The large russet and ebony tom nodded and quickly licked her ear, going to fight even more. The battle had started just minutes ago, and it didn't seem to want to end. Hawkwing and her mate Redshadow were two of the best warriors in the clan. Even the leader Bushstar claimed it to be, so when they were chosen to fight, they weren't surprised.

Hawkwing spat on the ground and looked about. No one was around her, so she could take a quick rest.

 _'Can this ever end?'_ she thought with a slight fear for her clan. Suddenly, she heard a loud yowl. Her eyes snapped to a horrific scene. Bushstar was trapped in between five Thunderclan warriors; in his eyes a dark sickening distress grew brighter.

"I'm coming!" Hawkwing yowled, her eyes frightened. Bushstar was on his last life! Then, she heard Redshadow yowl in fear. She whipped around and saw her mate struggling beneath Thunderclan's leader, Lionstar's large weight.

"Help Hawkwing!" he cried. "I don't want to die with out seeing our kits!" Hawkwing looked down at her belly. She knew how much her kits would need a father. Her gaze went back and forth.

"Who do I save?" she roared, her eyes frenzied. It was Bushstar who spoke. "Save your mate," his bass voice said, wavering for a moment. "I am old, and Redshadow is a good deputy, he will be a fine leader." Hawkwing nodded, and raced over to her mate, attacking Lionstar. The big golden tom released his grip.

"My love," said Redshadow, waking up to her and covering her eyes. "Bushstar is going to die." She nodded, weeping into his large red shoulders. Bushstar's last scream rose up above the fighting and split the air like lightning.


End file.
